Greatest of All TimeChapter 7: G.O.A.T. Battle
The sky turned dark.
A powerful blue aura erupted from Arashio's body as neon-blue lightning danced around him. His eyes glowed like twin stars.
He slowly rose into the air.
"Jojo..." Arashio said coldly. "You've gone too far."
Satoru Jojo smiled and removed his glasses.
"You still don't understand, do you?"
"I'm not Jojo."
"My name is..."
"Saku."
Suddenly, Arashio's expression changed.
His voice became calm and deep.
"After all these years..."
"It's good to see you again, Saku."
James had taken control of Arashio's body.
Siya tried to run toward him.
"Arashio, stop!"
But Luca quickly held her back.
"No! This battle is beyond our level!"
The two warriors floated high above the school.
Saku smiled.
"Let's finish what we started."
ONI BLAST!
A giant crimson sphere appeared above Saku's hand.
It exploded like a dying star.
BOOOOM!!
The shockwave shattered every window in the academy.
Students screamed and fled.
James calmly raised his fist.
"Blue Lightning..."
"...Punch!"
Blue lightning gathered around his arm.
He vanished.
BOOM!!
His punch landed directly on Saku's face.
The impact launched Saku across the city like a meteor.
City Battlefield
Saku crashed through buildings before stopping in the middle of a highway.
Smoke filled the air.
He slowly stood up and smiled.
"So..."
"You've become stronger."
James landed in front of him.
"I never wanted this fight."
Saku laughed.
"But I did."
His crimson Six Eyes glowed.
Every car...
Every bus...
Every streetlight...
Rose into the sky.
"Telekinesis."
"Die!"
Thousands of vehicles shot toward Arashio at terrifying speed.
James moved like lightning.
One...
Two...
Ten...
He dodged everything.
Then—
Saku ripped an enormous cargo truck from the road.
"Catch this!"
The truck flew faster than a bullet.
BOOOM!!
It exploded against Arashio.
Smoke covered the battlefield.
After a few seconds...
A blue silhouette walked out.
Blood ran down Arashio's forehead.
Yet he was still smiling.
The two looked at each other.
Neither wanted to kill the other.
Once...
They had been brothers.
Now...
They were enemies.
Without another word—
They charged.
BOOM!
Punch after punch shook the city.
Kick after kick shattered the streets.
Sometimes Saku gained the advantage.
Sometimes James fought back.
Their battle was perfectly even.
Then—
"One-Inch Punch."
James' fist struck Saku's stomach.
BAM!!
Blood burst from Saku's mouth.
He smiled weakly.
"...You've grown."
Suddenly—
He grabbed Arashio's arm.
HEADBUTT!!
Their foreheads collided.
Arashio staggered backward.
Saku followed with a spinning kick.
James blocked it and countered with a devastating uppercut.
Saku was launched through three skyscrapers.
Without giving him time to recover—
James teleported above him.
A powerful axe kick smashed Saku back into the ground.
The city shook violently.
Saku roared.
A passenger airplane rose into the sky under his control.
He swung it toward Arashio.
James caught the plane with both hands.
The force pushed him hundreds of meters backward.
Before he could recover—
Saku appeared in front of him.
CRACK!!
A powerful punch struck Arashio's chin.
Blood scattered through the air.
Then Saku spread both arms.
"Domain Expansion..."
"Infinity Void!"
The world disappeared.
Everything became black and crimson.
A gigantic red-and-black golem slowly awakened behind Saku.
"Destroy him."
The monster roared.
Its massive fist crashed into Arashio.
BOOOM!!
Again.
Again.
Again.
Each punch broke another bone.
Blood covered the battlefield.
Arashio could no longer stand.
Inside his fading consciousness...
Memories returned.
Rain fell heavily.
A lonely twelve-year-old Arashio sat alone beneath a broken bus stop.
Burning with fever.
Abandoned.
Then...
Three children appeared.
James.
Saku.
Siya.
They shared an umbrella.
James smiled.
"You're not alone anymore."
Saku laughed.
"From today..."
"We're brothers."
The forgotten memories finally returned.
Present.
A bright blue light appeared.
James reached out his hand.
"Arashio."
"It's time."
Arashio smiled through his tears.
"I remember everything."
He grabbed James' hand.
Their souls became one.
A pillar of blue light pierced the heavens.
The entire Infinity Void began to crack.
James opened his glowing eyes.
"Our fight..."
"Ends now."
He threw a single punch.
GOAT BREAKER!!
BOOOOOOOOM!!!
Blue and white flames swallowed the entire domain.
The Infinity Void shattered into countless fragments.
Back in the real world...
Saku was blasted across the city.
His body crashed into the ground.
The crimson aura disappeared.
Arashio also fell from the sky.
Unconscious.
Three Days Later
Arashio slowly opened his eyes.
He was lying in his room.
Siya sat beside him.
The moment she saw him awake, tears filled her eyes.
Without thinking...
She hugged him tightly.
"You idiot..."
"You scared me."
Arashio smiled weakly.
"I'm sorry."
Luca, Indra, Zealois, and Bacon all smiled with relief.
Later that day...
Arashio visited the memorial where James and Saku were buried.
Two gravestones stood side by side.
He silently placed white flowers in front of them.
Tears rolled down his face.
"Thank you..."
"For saving me."
"I promise..."
"I'll finish the war you couldn't."
The wind gently blew through the trees.
It almost sounded like two old friends laughing together one last time.
Five Months Later
Arashio stood before a mirror.
His blue power had vanished.
"I lost James..."
"But..."
He slowly closed his eyes.
When he opened them again—
His left eye burned crimson.
His right eye shone neon blue.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"The war..."
"Has only just begun."
To Be Continued...